In its first years, Whitworth College didn’t have an orchestra due to its small size. In 1927, Professor Hussong, dean of the college, began to piece together a motley group with only three string players, as well as two saxophones, a cornet, and a piano. Although it was not a standard musical group, Hussong immediately immersed his students into the musical world, and the group was well-known for their performances with the Whitworth Glee Club and their local radio performances.